Merle Travis - Guitar Rags And A Too Fast Past (5CD Box Set) (1994)

What a guy! What a picker! What a set! A seminal, and hugely-praised set from one of the most influential musicians in country music. It not only includes all of his Capitol recordings from 1946-1955, but it also includes incredibly rare recordings for King, Bel-Tone, and other small labels, some done under pseudonyms like Tem Martin and the Shepherd Brothers. The famous Merle Travis guitar is featured on the rare guitar-only albums, and the hits here include Divorce Me COD, Steel Guitar Rag, No Vacancy, and Cincinnati Lou. As always, though, the real story is in the rare singles, album cuts, and unissued recordings where Merle's guitar and his winning humor shine. A feast for any fan of finger-style guitar.

Tracklist:

CD 1

01. You'll Be Lonesome, Too [as Sheppard Brothers] (3:17)
02. The Steppin' Out Kind [as Sheppard Brothers] (2:52)
03. When Mussolini Laid His Pistol Down [as Bob McCarthy] (2:49)
04. Two Time Annie [as Bob McCarthy] (2:36)
05. What Will I Do (2:39)
06. So Long, Farewell, Goodbye (& Grandpa Jones) (2:45)
07. God Put A Rainbow On The Clouds (& Wesley Tuttle) (3:04)
08. It May Be Too Late (& Wesley Tuttle) (2:55)
09. Be On Your Way (& Wesley Tuttle) (3:02)
10. Rainin' On The Mountain (& Wesley Tuttle) (2:44)
11. Give Me Your Hand (& Wesley Tuttle) (2:39)
12. Out On The Open Range (& W. Tuttle & Shug Fisher) (2:46)
13. Ridin' Down To Santa Fe (& Shug Fisher) (3:11)
14. Hominy Grits [as Tem Martin] (2:50)
15. That's All (2:48)
16. Boogie Woogie Boy (& Porky Freeman Trio) (3:05)
17. Boogie Woogie Boy [alt] (& Porky Freeman Trio) (2:58)
18. I Used To Work In Chicago [as Tin Ear Tanner] (2:39)
19. Merle's Buck Dance (& Hank Penny) (2:49)
20. Steel Guitar Stomp (& Hank Penny) (2:52)
21. I Used To Work In Chicago [as Dusty Ward] (2:39)
22. I'm All Thru Trusting You [as Dusty Ward] (3:02)
23. Weary Lonesome Me (2:32)
24. No Vacancy (3:02)
25. Cincinnati Lou (2:37)
26. Two Is A Couple (And Three Is A Crowd) (2:34)
27. What A Shame (2:48)
28. T For Texas (Blue Yodel # 1) (2:19)

CD 2

01. Missouri (2:45)
02. Divorce Me C.O.D. (3:01)
03. A Fool At The Steering Wheel (2:49)
04. Nine Pound Hammer (2:41)
05. Sixteen Tons [false start] (0:56)
06. Sixteen Tons (2:52)
07. Dark As A Dungeon (2:49)
08. Over By Number Nine (3:10)
09. That's All (3:01)
10. John Henry (3:07)
11. Muskrat (3:20)
12. I Am A Pilgrim (2:53)
13. This World Is Not My Home (2:47)
14. The Covered Wagon Rolled Right Along (2:59)
15. (Oh Why, Oh Why, Did I Ever Leave) Wyoming (2:43)
16. A Little Too Fer (2:27)
17. When Rosie Riccoola Do The Hoola Ma Boola (2:32)
18. Steel Guitar Rag (2:58)
19. Honey Bunch (2:24)
20. Sweet Temptation (2:54)
21. Don't Hand Me That Old Line (2:48)
22. Steel Guitar Rag (3:05)
23. Honey Bunch (2:45)
24. So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed (2:59)
25. Alimony Bound (2:58)
26. Follow Thru (2:58)
27. Three Times Seven (2:58)
28. I'm Sick And Tired Of You, Little Darling (3:00)

CD 3

01. Sunshine's Back In Town (2:43)
02. The Devil To Pay (2:46)
03. Steel Guitar Rag (2:45)
04. Lawdy, What A Gal (2:53)
05. Sioux City Sue (2:33)
06. Muskrat (2:37)
07. Fat Gal [false start] (1:09)
08. Fat Gal (2:39)
09. I Like My Chicken Fryin' Size (2:46)
10. Merle's Boogie Woogie (2:47)
11. Merle's Boogie Woogie [alt. take] (3:30)
12. Dapper Dan (2:49)
13. When My Baby Double Talks To Me (2:54)
14. I'm Picking Up The Pieces To My Heart (2:49)
15. Information Please (2:55)
16. Any Old Time (2:44)
17. Kentucky Means Paradise (2:39)
18. Leave My Honey Bee Alone (2:55)
19. I'm A Natural Born Gamblin' Man (3:10)
20. Get Along Blues (2:53)
21. A Too Fast Past (2:57)
22. Crazy Boogie (2:50)
23. You Better Try Another Man (2:36)
24. Deck Of Cards (3:04)
25. Wabash Cannonball (2:32)
26. Blues Stay Away From Me (2:38)
27. Philososphy (2:29)
28. I Got A Mean Old Woman (3:07)

CD 4

01. I'm Picking Up The Pieces To My Heart (2:29)
02. Petticoat Fever (2:52)
03. Start Even (3:09)
04. Guitar Rag (2:28)
05. Cane Bottom Chair (2:46)
06. I'm Knee Deep In Trouble (2:23)
07. Little Miss Sherlock Holmes (2:15)
08. Too Much Sugar For A Dime (2:16)
09. Spoonin' Moon (2:25)
10. Trouble, Trouble (2:51)
11. El Ren (2:38)
12. Won'tcha Be My Baby (2:30)
13. Dry Bread (2:38)
14. Lost John Boogie (2:22)
15. Deep South (2:08)
16. Boogie In Minor (2:28)
17. Let's Settle Down (To Runnin' Around Together) (2:24)
18. Done Rovin' (2:24)
19. Faithful Fool (2:30)
20. Love Must Be Ketchin' (2:11)
21. Kinfolks In Carolina [unissued] (2:02)
22. Kinfolks In Carolina (2:25)
23. Rainy Day Feelin' (2:22)
24. A Too Fast Past (2:38)
25. Knee Deep In Trouble (2:38)
26. Ain't That A Cryin' Shame (2:21)
27. I'll See You In My Dreams (1:55)
28. Cannonball Rag (1:57)
29. I'll Have Myself A Ball (2:33)
30. Bayou Baby (2:36)
31. Green Cheese (2:54)

CD 5

01. Louisiana Boogie (2:45)
02. Guitar Rag (2:22)
03. Saturday Night Shuffle (2:22)
04. The Waltz You Saved For Me (2:29)
05. Crazy 'Bout You (2:24)
06. Re-Enlistment Blues (3:23)
07. Dance Of The Golden Rod (3:07)
08. Gambler's Guitar (2:39)
09. Shut Up And Drink Your Beer (2:12)
10. Seminole Drag (2:48)
11. Jolie Fille (Pretty Girl) (2:04)
12. I Can't Afford The Coffee (2:58)
13. Blue Bell (2:21)
14. Memphis Blues (2:37)
15. The Sheik Of Araby (2:05)
16. On A Bicycle Built For Two (Daisy Belle) (2:12)
17. Black Diamond Blues (3:06)
18. Blue Smoke [remake] (2:28)
19. Walking The Strings (1:52)
20. Saturday Night Shuffle (2:09)
21. Sleepy Time Gal (2:39)
22. Tuck Me To Sleep (In My Old 'Tucky Home) (2:31)
23. Rock-A-Bye Rock (1:58)
24. Bugle Call Rag (2:22)
25. Cuddle Up A Little Closer, Lovey Mine (2:32)
26. Beer Barrel Polka (2:37)
27. Trun My Picture Upside Down (2:31)
28. If You Want It, I've Got It (2:45)
29. Lazy River (2:26)
30. Hunky Dory (2:33)